MUSHY RICE WITH MUNG BEANS

MUNG BEANS ARE as popular in Gulf cooking as they are in Indian and Chinese cuisine, where they are considered highly nutritious and easy to digest. I find the mung beans and rice pairing wholesome and comforting. This is typically eaten with poached lamb and daqous (see page 32) for a little piquancy. Don’t skimp on the topping of sultanas and onions as it adds a wonderful sweetness. Yoghurt is optional but works well to cool and neutralize. Here the hashou is used both to perfume the 600 g rice and 150 raisins in original

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Soak the beans for a few hours if possible or at least for 1–2 hours, then rinse and drain. Wash the rice and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Rinse until the water runs clear then drain.

Step 2

Heat the oil in a deep pan and cook the onion until soft then add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the mung beans then stir in the turmeric and rice. Pour in enough salted water to cover the ingredients by 2 cm (¾ in), cover with the lid and cook until the rice and beans have softened and absorbed the water.

Step 3

When the rice has cooked, reduce the heat to very low and cover with a sheet of foil. Continue cooking until the moisture has evaporated (you’ll need to look) then lay the butter on top of the rice – this will loosen the grains. Cover the rice with the foil again and steam for 15–30 minutes.

Step 4

Now make the hashou topping. Heat the oil in a shallow pan and fry the raisins and onion over a gentle heat until very soft. Season with the lime powder and black pepper.

Step 5

Take the lid off the pan and scatter the onion and raisin topping over the rice. Cover again with the foil and allow the ingredients to infuse over a very low heat until you are ready to serve.

Step 6

This is typically eaten with chunks of braised lamb and daqous.